Bats. A shudder-inducing word for some. After all, bats are just blood-sucking, flying rats, right? Such intergenerational myths have had a lasting impact on how we view our winged-limbed friends of the night, and may have altered our conservation efforts for the worse. Bat populations have dwindled in the past few decades due to a number of factors including the deadly White-nose Syndrome, agricultural pesticide use, habitat loss, and climate change. In order to encourage protection of these nocturnal mammals, we need to end the stigma that has plagued them for years, and help create healthy habitats which will allow for bats to thrive in. Let's have a look at some of the reasons you should be gardening for bats, and ways you can achieve a bat-friendly yard.
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| Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) |
Insect control, au naturel.
All Ontario-native bat species are insectivores. This means that their diet consists solely of insects, and particularly ones who are highly active at night. Yes, bats eat the true blood-suckers... mosquitoes! And they eat a lot of them. Research has shown that each individual can consume upwards of 50% of their body weight in insects per night! Bats also dine on corn earworm moths, whose larvae are known to destroy crops & garden plants. More bats = less nuisance insects = happy garden.
Bat poop... fertilizer?
Believe it or not, bat guano (fancy term for poop) is regarded as one of the world's top fertilizers! High in nitrogen & phosphorus, and long-lasting in most soil types, this natural fertilizer benefits many garden plants including vegetables, herbs, and flowering species.
Be a conservation superhero (no cape required).
Ontario is home to 8 species of bats, 3 of which are considered species at risk. With populations declining annually due to negative human interference, it is our duty to practice conscientious gardening and landscaping. By implementing the tips & tricks below, you can aid in establishing a healthy environment for bats to flourish. Batman would approve.
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| An endangered Eastern Pipistrelle/Tricoloured Bat (Perimyotis subflavus) being examined at Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre in Napanee, Ontario |
Gimme shelter.
One of the easiest things you can do to attract bats is to provide shelter in the form of a bat house. A bat house is a wooden box, crafted with specific dimensions to ensure that it is comfortable for a colony of bats. Bat houses can be purchased online, and through most nature-related stores. Wild Birds Unlimited carries three varieties of bat houses, each with different features to house up to 300 individuals.
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| Wild Birds Unlimited Bat Houses |
Have a pond on your property? Great!
Bats tend to congregate around bodies of water, not only to drink from, but to feed on insects who hover above the surface at night. No natural water source nearby? No problem. Consider building a pond to encourage bats & other wildlife to visit your yard. If you're not able to provide something as substantial as a pond, a large bird bath will do just fine.
Cultivate a native plant garden, and let the weeds grow a little wild.
By growing native plants you will attract insects for bats to feast upon, but you will also be providing an excellent source of food for pollinators and backyard birds. Not sure what to plant? Click here for a list of Ontario-native plants, and information to help you choose which species will succeed in your yard.
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| (left) Black Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) - (right) Smooth Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve) & Clouded Sulfur Butterfly (Colias philodice) |
For information on Ontario's bat species, and what you can do to help protect them, see the links below.
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Good info Shayna..I havent seen bats around here in many years.
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